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The Voyage of the Endeavour is undoubtedly one of the most delightfully readable and authentic accounts ever written of Captain James Cook's first memorable voyage of exploration. Its republication at this time commemorates not only the 200th anniversary of the discovery by Cook of the east coast of Australia, but also the work of an historian who was a pioneer among Australian historical writers.

G. Arnold Wood came to this country as a young man of 25 after distinguishing himself at Balliol College, Oxford, to become the first Challis Professor of History in the University of Sydney. There, singlehanded, he founded a great history school, (it was not until he reached the age of 50 that he was given an assistant). Very early in his long tenure of his chair at the University he developed a keen interest in the exploration and early settlement of his adopted country. He became a leading member of the Royal Australian Historical Society and wrote two books which broke new ground in the study of Australian history, The Discovery of Australia and this present small volume The Voyage of the Endeavour.

Professor Wood brought a freshness to the study of Australian history that was at that time rare and wrote in a manner that was pleasant for a layman to read and at the same time useful to the student. He stimulated in New South Wales an interest in our history which has grown into a broad swelling movement from which flows a constant stream of books on Australian historical subjects.

He strove after and achieved authenticity. This present text is thus exactly as Professor Wood wrote it. Some of his comparisons may now be somewhat outdated but they were valid in their time and still prove clearly the points that he was making. He was able to use the then newly discovered manuscript journal of Captain James Cook and he drew faithfully from the original. The result is a book that can be recommended to the young as well as to older readers. In my opinion there is no more accurate or vivid account of Cook's first voyage.

The Voyage of the Endeavour has stood the test of time; the first edition appeared in 1926 to be followed by reprints in 1929, 1933 and 1944. The Royal Australian Historical Society is proud to be associated with the issue of this new edition and thanks the Captain Cook Bicentenary Committee of New South Wales for its financial help in publication.

Allan E. Bax

President

Royal Australian Historical Society

Model of The Endeavour